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December 31, 2016

After 312 posts on facebook.com/KehresHealth this year, here are the top five most popular health articles:

1. Michigan loses right to farm: while most people are pushing for locally produced foods the government has a different agenda supporting large factory farms.

2. Healthy shopping list: Many people want to eat healthy but don't know where to start. The best place to start is by having healthy food in the house. If you have healthy food in the house you will eat healthy food. Especially if you start cleaning out the cupboards of all the junk food. Checkout my grocery list in the link.

3. Are NutriGrain healthy? Many people think that NutriGrain bars are healthy. After all "nutrition" and "grain" are the two words they put together to make NutriGrain so they are marketing it as a health food. But is it actually healthy?

4. Vitamin D-3: To this day I have never seen a normal Vitamin D-3 test from someone
in Michigan in the winter who wasn't supplementing or tanning (normal
50-80 nm/mm). Get your levels checked and start supplementing!

5. Dr. Kehres featured in Training & Conditioning Magazine: "At Saginaw Valley State University, the most popular addition to the
school’s athletic training room is not a fancy new whirlpool or
high-tech wearable—it’s chiropractor Dan Kehres, DC. By including Kehres
on its sports medicine team in the fall of 2015, SVSU is likely the
first school in NCAA Division II to offer on-campus chiropractic care."

2. Lifefactory bottles -- one of the most popular items in our health store, Lifefactory bottles are glass reusable bottles that come in many different colors and styles. Glass is always a safer choice than plastic. Available at Kehres Health & Chiropractic.

3. Vitamix -- the dream gift of all health nuts. It is a professional-grade blender to make smoothies for the whole family, and also can be used as a food processor. Their reconditioned blenders are a great option and come with a seven year warranty.

4. Massage gift certificate -- a one hour massage is a gift anyone would love, purchase in one of our offices or online.

5. Maple Grille gift certificate-- our favorite restaurant in mid-Michigan, Maple Grille is farm to table and brews their own beer. Buy a gift certificate and pick up some Maple Grille swag or locally made items for sale there.

2. Solly Baby Wrap -- there is nothing better than baby wearing. The Solly Wrap is lightweight and comfortable for baby and parent. And it holds the baby in a safe, ergonomic position with supported hips.

September 26, 2016

"Taking vitamin D supplements was associated with fewer hospitalizations or emergency room visits for severe asthma attacks -- from 6% to around 3%.Taking vitamin D supplements also reduced the number of asthma attacks needing steroid treatment.There was no increase in side effects with the vitamin D doses given."Besides Vitamin D, other types of treatment for asthma includes chiropractic care. It is a natural treatment that has been shown time and time again to help relieve and prevent asthma in many patients.The stress from our daily lives puts excess stress on our bodies and our nervous systems. Chiropractic helps to reduce the stress on our bodies, reducing inflammation and increasing joint motion. Proper joint motion in the mid back is especially important for people with asthma as it increases rib motion, allowing more oxygen to be inhaled. With all joints moving and inflammation reduced as much as possible, our nervous systems can function properly which is essential for true health.

“I used to take Advair daily to control my asthma, but after one adjustment, I wouldn’t need to take Advair for at least a month,” Jordan, 28, Kehres Health & Chiropractic patient, said. “Ever since I have been getting adjusted regularly, I haven’t needed to take Advair or any other type of asthma medication.”

As asthma becomes more prevalent so does the use of asthma drugs. Unfortunately, these medications don’t come without a cost both physically and financially. Many asthma medications seem to reduce asthma at first, but ultimately mask the underlying problem while potentially causing life threatening conditions.

In 2010, due to safety concerns the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required changes in four of the major asthma medications; Advair, Serevent, Foradil and Symbicort because of their potential life threatening side effects.

It is estimated that 22 million Americans have asthma, and more than 6 million Americans use one of the four medications mentioned above.

Elimination of dairy and inflammatory processed food has also been shown to greatly reduce asthma symptoms.

Consider chiropractic, Vitamin D and other types of natural treatment for asthma, to avoid the risk of potential life threatening side effects, especially with children.Contact us at Kehres Health & Chiropractic in Saginaw or Midland to set up an appointment as we offer chiropractic care for all ages, Vitamin D blood testing and Vitamin D3 supplements.

September 13, 2016

Breastfeeding offers a variety of health benefits for both the mom and baby, it can be a challenge but we are fortunate to have great resources in the Great Lakes Bay region to help.

Covenant HealthCare hosts a weekly Breastfeeding Support Group Mondays at 6:30 pm and they are a designated Baby-Friendly hospital (only 1 of 12 in Michigan) which is a global initiative to support breastfeeding. If you live outside of Michigan, look for your local La Leche League USA for resources.

September 12, 2016

Did you know that if you live the typical American lifestyle then you have a 50% chance of developing cancer? Thankfully improving your lifestyle has shown to be very powerful at reducing your risk of cancer.

This study found that with exercise alone that 20-40% of cancers and upwards of 50% of cancer deaths could be prevented with proper exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

This study used 150 minutes of weekly exercise or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise!

August 11, 2016

Happiness isn't something that comes around so easily anymore. With our fast paced, stressful lifestyles we need to work on being happy. Ultimately, it's our decision to be happy or not depending on how we see the world. And it is critical to our health.

Negativity is so prevalent in the news and conversations that there is no way we aren't going to be surrounded by it on a regular basis. So how do we not let it affect us?

Be grateful

Being grateful is one of the most powerful ways to be happy. Research has shown that those who are thankful release more dopamine and serotonin than those who do not. These chemicals are known as the "happy chemicals," and help to improve our mood. They have also been shown to work on the same pathways that anti-depressants do and some believe that they just as beneficial if not more beneficial than taking anti-depressants.

Action step:
Find ways to be grateful in your daily life. Make a journal or start a blog to write down all the ways that you are grateful! After doing this for a few months it will become a habit and you will start automatically being grateful.

Make decisions

To-do lists stack up every single day and the more things that we have on our to-do lists the more stressed out and unhappy we get. Eventually we get overloaded and even the smallest and easiest things on the to-do list seem like a mountain of a task.

Making decisions and moving forward on them is one of the best ways to be happy. Decision making has been shown to calm neural activity in the brain reducing stress levels.

Action step:
The key is make the best decision possible under the circumstance. If you sit around and try to make the perfect decision then you are going to let other tasks pile up and you are going to end up right back where you started. Look at your to-do list and start making the best decisions you can and move forward!

Help out

Similar to gratitude, helping out has been shown to reduce stress and increase happiness by releasing serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine. Not only does helping out make other people happy it also gives you a sense of satisfaction improving your happiness level. Helping out at work has shown to improve work atmosphere, productivity and rate at which someone gets a promotion.

Action step:
Keep an eye out throughout the day to lend a helping hand. Typically before you know it something will come up and you just have to jump to the occasion.

Start adding these steps into your daily ritual and before you know it your level of stress will decrease and your happiness will increase. Remember, habits don't happen overnight so you need to continue doing it for a few months before your brain will automatically do it for you.

August 4, 2016

Why are you losing weight? Why are you eating healthier? Why are you exercising? Do you know why?

When trying to make a change it’s always hard to stay on track. Most people set a weight loss goal such as losing 15 lbs. and try whatever is the latest and greatest fad diet, which often includes pretty extreme caloric restriction. It’s not easy, and they feel deprived most of the time but the weight starts to fall off. Eventually they reach their weight loss goal!

The problem that arises is that the diet is not sustainable. Once they hit their goal, their pre-diet lifestyle starts to creep back and the weight comes back just as fast as it fell off. Sometimes with a few extra pounds. Research has shown the more times people diet, the more weight that they eventually gain.

Making a lifestyle change shouldn’t be for weight loss, it should be for long term health. Weight gain year after year increases the risk of all sorts of diseases including heart disease to diabetes to cancer.

Determining why you want to change your lifestyle is the most important aspect of making a long term change.Do you want to be able to do your own yard work as you age?Be healthy enough to play with your grandkids?Prevent deadly conditions such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease?Find your why that is bigger than your weight loss goal.

Why is it every chance we get to stuff our face with carbohydrates of any form we typically indulge? Or why is it that the reason people can't lose weight is because they can't stop eating carbohydrates?

Our ancestors had to survive off the land and eat as much food as they could any chance they got, because they never knew when there would no longer be food. Carbohydrates have the ability to be stored as fat on our bodies, much more so than eating protein or fat. Since there were no refrigerators or ways to store food, the best way to store food would be directly on your body as fat. That way when there was no food for an extended period of time, you could use the fat on your body as an energy source.

This is why you see bears and squirrels scavenge and eat everything that they can before winter comes, they know that there is going to be a long stretch before food will be available again. During the winter they survive just fine because they use that extra fat on their bodies as energy.

Humans eat carbohydrates like there is always going to be a shortage of food, but the shortage never comes. That's why as a nation we are getting larger and larger. The only way to stop the weight gain is to stop or at least reduce the things that are causing us to gain weight, the carbohydrates.

It's not as easy as it sounds because of this innate survival mechanism we have. Our ancestors needed carbohydrates to live through food shortages, we don't.

The best way to get past this is to start on a moderate/low carbohydrate diet of 100 grams for women and 125 grams for men and to create a meal plan. All your meals should have healthy protein and fat, as they are the most satisfying thing you can eat. This will prevent you from binging on the processed carbohydrates.

July 31, 2016

It is estimated that more than 75% of the population has digestive problems. Getting into practice I never realized this was such a huge problem, but day after day when patients came in they reported having digestive problems. It makes sense when you look at the Standard American Diet (SAD) as most of the food we are putting into our bodies is highly processed. We require certain nutrients on a regular basis and without those nutrients our bodies can't function and heal properly.

Depending on what the digestive problem is there are 3 main supplements that typically work really well for people.

Digestive Enzymes

These enzymes are in the stomach and gut for the purpose of breaking down food. When we constantly eat unhealthy food our concentration of enzymes can be thrown off. For example, if we are eating a mostly carbohydrate based diet then we are going to keep the enzymes made for breaking down carbohydrates but the other enzymes for fat and protein might be minimized. If you have not been eating much protein or fat and go back to eating it, your body might not be able to break it down completely causing digestive stress and pain.

Digestive enzymes can help to break down the food you are putting into your stomach more efficiently. Many people lose the ability to break down lactose and so they can't eat many of their favorite products. Digestive enzymes typically have lactase in them which helps to break down lactose allowing people to eat things like ice cream and cheese without digestive problems.

Suggestion: 1 - 6 digestive enzymes per day. Typically they work best if taken 30 minutes before a meal.

Many people need to start by taking 4 - 6 per day, before meals. Once their stomach problems start to improve they can reduce the amount of digestive enzymes they are taking on a regular basis. Some people with chronic digestive problems will probably need to continue taking an increased amount and taking them before their meals.

Probiotics

The flora of the intestines is important for many reasons including boosting immune system, healthy digestion, regulating inflammation and much more. Probiotics are one of the main players in how well these processes move forward. Historically we would get our probiotics from fermented foods and dirt that was found on our food. In our clean and sanitary world we don't typically eat any dirt and many people don't like fermented foods. This causes less probiotics to be present in the digestive system than we need.

Also, research has shown that a diet concentrated in processed carbohydrates promotes unhealthy bacteria in the gut to grow. When this happens the ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria is unfavorable and digestion doesn't function as it should leading to gas, bloating and pain.

Suggestion: 1 probiotic per day or every 4-5 hours if you are having a flair up.

Supplementation with probiotics are similar to that of digestive enzymes. It really depends on how you are responding. If you are sick and take a probiotic and get relief for 4 - 5 hours, then take another one every 4 - 5 hours until you start to improve. Once you are back on track it would probably be wise to continue taking at least 1 probiotic on a daily basis.

Magnesium

As one of the most prevalent supplements used in the body, magnesium has a number of health benefits. One of the most powerful benefits is as a muscle relaxer. This can possibly help with anything from headaches, cramps, heart palpitationsand digestion, especially constipation.

If you are eating highly processed foods low in fiber on a regular basis, the body is going to absorb as many nutrients out of the food as possible leaving very little to pass through the digestive tract to be eliminated. This is one of the main causes of constipation.

Adding in magnesium can be really beneficial for anyone suffering from constipation. It helps to relax the digestive tract and allows everything to start moving again.

Suggestion: 400 - 600 mg per day.

The main side effect of magnesium is diarrhea, which is a welcome response for someone who has chronic constipation. Some physicians suggest taking magnesium until you are going to the bathroom more frequently. Then once you get to that point you would back to reduce the amount of magnesium you were taking and that should get you closer to having a regular bowel frequency.

Conclusion

If you are someone with severe digestive problems, you need to be doing all three of the suggestions above, or at least two of them in combination to see the results. I also recommend eliminating foods that are causing distress and eating probiotic rich foods on a regular basis for maximum benefit. If you are taking medications, be sure to consult with your doctor before adding in supplements.

Dr. Dan Kehres, DC is a Saginaw Chiropractor and Midland Chiropractor at Kehres Health & Chiropractic. We are passionate about changing people's lives through chiropractic, nutrition and teaching true health. We believe that true health is taking all facets of your life into consideration when striving to be healthy - physical, mental, chemical and nutritional.

July 28, 2016

Migraine headaches are one of the most debilitating things that someone can deal with on a regular basis. It is estimated that over 13% of the population suffers from migraines and many of those people are chronic sufferers.

Everyone who has migraines has different symptoms and different triggers. Research hasn't gotten to the root of what causes migraines and it most likely never will as everyone has different triggers for them.

When it comes to natural treatments there are three main supplements that have been found to help reduce the frequency of migraines and to also help once someone is already suffering from migraines.

Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most bio-available and required elements in the body. It helps with our metabolism, energy, digestion and also relaxation of muscles. Many research articles have correlated low magnesium levels with increased frequency of migraine headaches. The relaxation effect of magnesium is thought to relax blood vessels and reduce frequency and intensity of migraines.

400-600 mg of magnesium per day has been found to have the most benefit.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

This supplement is great to help restore energy in your cells and allow the mitochondria to relax. It's also a great anti-oxidant and can help with heart function and circulation as well.

90-120 mg of CoQ10 in the ubiquinol form has been found to have the most benefit for migraine suffers.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

This vitamin is vital in creating energy in the body and it also helps to break down protein, carbohydrates and fat for energy. Many studies have show that people who have good levels of Vitamin B2 has less frequent migraines and if they do have one their intensity and duration was decreased.

400 mg of Vitamin B2 per day

For best results try taking all three of the supplements listed above together. If you are only going to take one supplement then I would suggest taking magnesium, as it has many other health benefits besides just preventing migraines.

If you are taking medications, be sure to consult with your doctor before adding in supplements.

Kehres Health & Chiropracticis a wellness facility with locations in Saginaw and Midland, Michigan. We are passionate about changing people's lives through chiropractic, nutrition and teaching true health. We believe that true health is taking all facets of your life into consideration when striving to be healthy - physical, mental, chemical and nutritional.

July 26, 2016

Walking through the grocery store is typically going to be an emotional roller coaster for most people, especially if they are hungry while doing it. Food companies have done a lot of research on just the right combination of ingredients that will get customers hooked to their products and make them come back for more.

Research has found that there are three types of cravings people have: sugar, fat and salt. Each product on the shelf is going to fall into one of these categories. Beyond that, they also know the exact amount of sugar, fat and salt to put into any products to maximize dopamine release which stimulates pleasure while you are eating the product and also increases your cravings for that product the next time you are hungry.

Sugar is the biggest offender and it's not by mistake. Sugar stimulates the same neuronal pathways and to the same extent as cocaine. Our bodies innately track down sugar based products because before the industrial revolution we didn't have grocery stores lined with processed carbohydrates like we do today. Carbohydrates were only available seasonally for the most part and it was much harder to over eat them.

It's also about product placement. When checking out the from grocery store many people are hungry because they essentially just got done working out physically and mentally. Their bodies blood glucose is going to be a little lower than normal and they walk into the checkout lane where all the candy and processed carbohydrates are.

Marketing companies know exactly what they are doing by getting their product in the checkout line. Stressed out, hungry people are going to have a much harder time resisting a candy bar. Especially when they have to wait in line for 10-15 minutes while the people in front of them are checking out.

Make sure you never go shopping hungry, and if you are going to be shopping for a long time try to bring a healthy snack along with you.

Kehres Health & Chiropractic is a wellness facility with locations in Saginaw and Midland, Michigan. We are passionate about changing people's lives through chiropractic, nutrition and teaching true health. We believe that true health is taking all facets of your life into consideration when striving to be healthy - physical, mental, chemical and nutritional.

Fermented foods are one of the best ways to normalize gut function and
repopulate your digestive system with good bacteria. Many cultures have
consumed these for centuries yet today the only fermented food most
people consume on a regular basis in yogurt and cheese from unhealthy
sources.

July 24, 2016

We have always heard the phrase, "food is medicine" and it has never been more true.

Food either increases or decreases inflammation inside your body. If you are constantly eating inflammatory foods then you are promoting sickness and disease. Before you know it you are going to be heading to the pharmacy for medications.

Instead of going to the pharmacy start heading to your local farmers market's and load up on fresh local foods. Typically these foods are less expensive, have less chemicals used on them and are more nutrient dense.

March 26, 2016

The darker your skin the more melanin you have and the more sunlight you require for proper health and production of Vitamin D-3.

You don't want to get burned in sunlight but you want to make sure your skin is getting the right amount of sunlight. Being outside until your skin turns light pink is the amount that you are looking for.

Depending on your skin tone and location on the earth that could be from a few minutes to a few hours of sun exposure.

March 23, 2016

Dr. Dan Kehres, DC was featured in the March 2016 issue of Training & Conditioning, the leading trade publication for athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and other sports medicine professionals. Head Athletic Trainer at SVSU Jeremy Glaser, MS, ATC was interviewed for the article. Dr. Kehres was the first chiropractor added to SVSU Sports Medicine staff and as the article states, SVSU is likely the first Division II school to offer on-campus chiropractic care. At Saginaw Valley State University, the most popular addition to the school’s athletic training room is not a fancy new whirlpool or high-tech wearable—it’s chiropractor Dan Kehres, DC. By including Kehres on its sports medicine team in the fall of 2015, SVSU is likely the first school in NCAA Division II to offer on-campus chiropractic care. For Jeremy Glaser, MS, ATC, Head Athletic Trainer at SVSU, the hire has paid off already. “The kids all really like Dr. Kehres, and we’ve seen great outcomes,” says Glaser. “He has helped us with some of our chronic injuries, especially low-back pain. We’ve seen much quicker results getting kids pain-free and back on the field following those types of injuries.” Glaser first got to know Kehres through his work with SVSU athletes at his private practice, including a former football player who’s now in the NFL. “Dr. Kehres has two offices in the Saginaw Valley region, and we’d been sending athletes to him who were looking for local chiropractic care,” says Glaser. “One of those athletes was Jeff Janis, who now plays for the Green Bay Packers. Jeff regularly saw Dr. Kehres during the season and while preparing for the NFL Scouting Combine and spoke very highly of those experiences.” After receiving similar feedback from other SVSU athletes, Glaser wanted to make chiropractic services more accessible. He approached Kehres this past summer about the possibility of holding office hours in the athletic training room. “I liked what I heard, and he liked what I had to say,” says Glaser. “We both knew immediately that the relationship would work—and it has.” Once a week, Kehres sets up two adjustment tables in the SVSU athletic training room for two hours, treating around 10 athletes per session. When signing up for his services, athletes first meet with Glaser, who writes up injury evaluations for them and shares them with Kehres. “He uses the evaluations to guide his pre-treatment questioning for each athlete,” says Glaser. “Having that information ahead of time keeps him from doing a full evaluation on every kid, which can take a lot of time.” Payment for the chiropractic services is facilitated by SVSU’s insurance provider. Kehres bills the athletic department for each athlete, and the claims are submitted accordingly. So far, Glaser says the process has been affordable and issue-free. Along with Kehres’ passion for treating athletes, Glaser says he is impressed by how chiropractic care complements athletic training. “He’s not just doing spinal adjustments,” says Glaser. “He’s also big into foam rolling, core strengthening work, and manual therapy—all things athletic trainers are very familiar with. What he does meshes nicely with the modalities we’re using in the athletic training room.” Kehres has also become an asset to the SVSU athletic training education program. “The athletic training students can observe him when he’s treating our student-athletes to satisfy their physician hours,” says Glaser. “He’s great at explaining what he’s doing and why, and our students get a great deal out of those interactions.” Calling the relationship win-win, Glaser believes chiropractic care can help round out a comprehensive sports medicine approach. “The best part about adding Dr. Kehres is that he has become another resource in our quest to provide holistic health care,” Glaser says. “Having another expert here to help us take care of our athletes has made our lives easier and given them a better experience.”Learn more:

Why is it that our medical system is so backwards when it comes to getting people healthy? It's no wonder we have one of the worst in the world when it comes to treatment of chronic conditions vs. the cost per person.

Instead of trying exercise, nutrition, supplementation, chiropractic or other natural treatments the system typically jumps right to medication or surgery. After all it is called the "Medical" system, so what do you expect?

Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a time and place for surgery and medicine but most of the time it should never be the first option.

Natural treatments have "NATURAL" in the name, but they are looked at as if it's witch craft. These treatments have been around much longer than our medical system has been, so why isn't this the first thing we look to?

I hear on a regular basis that an MD tells their patient that they definitely SHOULD NOT see a chiropractor, they should just take the prescribed medication and "wait it out." That's like me looking at someone with a broken leg and saying, nope don't go to the ER, just wait it out and it will take care of itself...

Until we fix the system we will never fix the chronic disease health crisis we are dealing with.

January 20, 2016

Dryer sheets can contain chemicals such as chloroform (carcinogenic), benzyl alcohol (can cause central nervous system disorders) and ethyl acetate (irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract). Especially if you have children, the safest option is to stop using dryer sheets.

Disclaimer:These statements are of a general nature and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using any product.